Coil expander



H. D. PAXSON Jan. 2, 1945.

COIL EXPANDER Filed Aug. 22, 1942 /20 v mu gmc/Mio@ HOMER D. PAXSONbtwvw Patented Jan. V2, 1945 UNITED .STATES PATENT] `A()1I""FICE f v2,366,352 .y CDILTEXPANDER IvHomerD.-Pa,xson,Sa;lem, .Ohio ApplicationAugust 22, 1942,.seria1`N0. .455,822

' crime-'78) l-Claims.

This `invention relates to acoil expander rand moreyparticularly to anapparatus which is operativeto condition coils of strip 4steel or "othermetal. In `the processing and .handling of coiled `strip stock it isoften necessary or desirable to valter ther physical character of :the`coils and such 'alteration may consist, for examplein the eX- 'pansion-and tightening of 'the vcoil or .in .the contraction and loosening ofthe poils. .Both these operations 4may find utility in thexpickling ofcoiled stock by -the .batch .method v`in which thewcoils are immersedAin the 4vcorrosive solution, washed, dried, oiled andrpreparedforshipment or use. To facilitatezthe operation-ofthis process:it is desirable that the adjacent convolutions rof the coil be 4spacedto allow 'entrance and .flow `of v 'the piekling .and'washing 4solutionsbetween 'the convolutins 'and upon completion `of :the process it isdesirable to retighten thec'oil to enable it to be bound for shipment orto allow its .proper .application .toan'uncoiling mechanism.

Also in vannealing operations the Acoils .should loe more or `lessloosely Wound to prevent welding during :the .heating treatment.4lillongation of the strip underheat :tends .to v'cause .an 'additionaltightening of the coils fand it is highly iesirable vtherefore that thecoils bein-aloose icon- Idition when placed inthe .annealing furnace.

Other practical lapplications ofthe concept and principles involvedshould be apparent. AForexample, a vcoil which .is `too .loosely wound,com- -monly termed .a .soft coil, his 'dif'cult to handle, bindandshipand if allowed to stand on its-edge for any `appreciable length oftime, the natural set .attained in `the convolutions 4thereof is out ofround which is objectionable inthe oper-ation of uncoiling mechanisms.'Consequently it is usually desirable to maintain-a predetermined degreeof tightness -or h'ardness incols of metal strip.

f The primary object of the invention therefore, is the Iprovision of asimple but lefficient. apkparatus which is operative tovti'ghten'or'loosen coils of metal strip to any vdesired degree.,Another object of the `invention is fthe provision `of `ari-apparatushaving the above generalicharacterristics which is operative to changetheinner and outer diameters of any particular coil o'f metal stripwithin the 'limits of the capacity of .the par- Figure 1 isa plan viewof line, inoperative position on the; apparatus; vand Figure 2 is aAtransversesectional View .through .a portion ofthe apparatus of Figure1, .the power supplying means beingfshown in vschematic Youtline. y

The-apparatusof the invention, in `i'tsprefer-red randjillustratedembodiment, comprises a-circular base or support yIII to `,the top ofwhich is fixed a plate II. Circumferentially spaced aboutl the outer,portion of the plate I-l are a number of vradiallyextending guideways I2. each consisting ro'f v`apair oftbars I3 whichare fastened tothe:plate lI Iby the .screws I-4.v Bars I3 yare rabbeted to receivetheblocks I5 and -itshould jbeapparent 'that upon loosening of Vthe-screwsldvthe blocks Arnayiloe adjusted radially inward or outward and relockedin position by tightening the screws.

.Each of :the blocks I5 carries yan upwardly extending post I6 oneofwhich .is lprovided with a diarn'etrically extending slot I'I to providea clamping device the 'function of which willy -be hereinafter xfullyexplained.

lxtending'eentrally through the plate II -is lthe yvertical shaft VI8 tothe upper'end of which is keyed a rotary table .-I9. This table is pro-lvided, on its upper Yface with depressed quadrants 20 lthe function ofwhich -is to enable the downwardly .and outwardly 'extending ngers of 'acoil lifting device to pass under the lower .edgeof 'the C'onvoh'ltionsof the coil resting on 'thermachine .In Teach of the r`spokes 2|intermediate the quadrants 12E! of the table I8 is apluralityof radiallyspaced.apertures.22.. Apertures 22are adapted to 'receive .the .reducedlowerend porti'onsof vposts `23 one of which may be provided'withadiametrically extending slot 24 to provide Va clamping' or anchordevicethe .purpose of which will be explained below.

Aradial bearing 25 'journals theshaft I8 Vat the plate `II to Atake any.lateral strains or pressure an'd-a Ithrust bearing `consisting ofcircumferentially spaced 'balls 26 and aspaceplateZI kis fp'ositionedbetween Athe ltable 7I9 .and the .plate Il to support the weight of therotary assembly and of the coil positioned thereon. Shaft I8is arrangedto ybe rotated'in alternate directions and at vavariable rate of speedby a reversing motor'operating rthrougha suitable speed reduction unitasi's ywell understoodin the art. This :power Vassembly is indicated`schematically at 28 as deriving electrical current from line 29 andemploying a reversing switch 30.

In operation, a suitable centering device, not shown, may be employed toalign the coil axially with the center of the table I9 as the coil islowered onto the table. he outer end of the outer convolution of thecoil is gripped in the clamping slot Il and all the posts I5 having beenpreviously adjusted to provide the desired final coil diameter,

- rotation of the table I9 in the proper direction will rotate theportion of the coil resting on the table thereby unwinding the coil andcompacting the strip thereof against the posts I6. The tightness of thefinished coil is determined by the speed of rotation of the table I9 andby the physical characteristics of the strip of the coil. In this mannera coil may be either expanded or tight-` ened or receive both of thesetreatments simultaneously. If it is desired to loosen the coil the outerend thereof is anchored in clamp I1 while the inner end thereof isanchored in clamp 24 and the table I9 rotated in the opposite directionfor the required angular distance and at the required speed. If it isdesired to rewind the coil to a smaller diameter all of the four posts23 are inserted in selected apertures 22 and table I9 rotated in theproper direction until al1 the strip is compacted against the posts 23.It will be understood, of course, that in expanding a coil a short endportion of the inner convolution will remain curved inwardly,as-indicated in Figure 1 but this portion may be readily moved by handinto engagement with the adjacent convolution of the coil. Likewise, ashort end portion of the outer convolution of the coil will remainoutside of the general outline of the coil in contracting the coil butthis portion may also be readily moved into the general peripheralcontour of the treated coil. Frictional contact is relied on to preventlinear movement of the strip through the slots I1 and 24 but if it isfound that this restraint is not sufficient a suitable wedgingarrangement or other expedient may be resorted to.

It should now be apparent that I have provided an improved apparatuswhich accomplishes the objects initially set out. The machine isinstantly available to expand or compact and/ or tighten or loosen coilsof strip and by controlling the. speed and extent of rotation of thetable I 9 any desired vfinal coil characteristic may be attained. Inaddition to the above the construction of the machine is such-that itmay be readily adjusted to operate on coils of different weights andsizes.

The above specifically described embodiment v of the invention should beconsidered as illustrative only Ias obviously many changes may be madetherein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.vReference should be had therefore to the appended claims in determiningthe scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination abase, a plurality of cir- 4cumferentially spaced but radially extendingguideways on said base, anupwardly extending retaining post adjustablymounted in each of said guideways, at least one of said posts beingprovided with means to engage and secure an end of a length of coiledstrip, a rotary table positioned centrally of said guideways and postsand having a plurality of circumferentially spaced upwardly extendingretaining posts at least onev 'of which is provided with means to engageand secure an end of a length of coiled strip, means adjustably mountingsaid second mentioned posts on said table whereby the radial distancebetween the axis of rotation of said table and said second mentionedposts may be varied, and means to rotate said table in alternatedirections.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that theupper surface of said table is depressed circumferentially intermediatethe portions thereof supporting said second mentioned posts. y

3.l Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination ahorizontally disposed support, a vertical shaft extending through saidsupport, a rotary table of substantial area keyed to the upper end ofsaid shaft with its upper surface flush with the end of the shaft Iandoverlying the center portion of said support, a thrust bearing betweensaid support and table, an annular series of circumferentially spacedupwardly extending retaining posts on said support outwardly 'of saidtable, and means to rotate said shaft, said support havingcircumferentially disposed supporting surfaces outwardly ofk said tableand aligned substantially horizontally with the top surface of thetable.

4. Apparatus according to claim' 3 further including an upwardlyextending means on said table to engage and secure an end of a coiledlength of metal strip. y 5. Apparatus for conditioning coils of metalstrip comprising a fixed support, a rotary table positioned centrally ofsaid support, a plurality of circumferentially spaced but radiallyextending guideways on said support outwardly of said table, each ofsaid guideways comprising at least one radially extending bar, a blockadapted to be clamped in adjusted position under and by said bar, eachof said blocks being provided with an upwardly projecting post, andmeans to rotate said table.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further characterized in that theupper surface of said table is provided with radially extending ribs theupper surfaces of which lie in the same plane as the upper surfaces ofsaid bars.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination ahorizontally disposed support, a vertical shaft extending through thecenter of said support, a rotary table keyed to the upper end of saidshaft and overlying the center portion of said support, a thrust bearingbetween said support and table, a plurality of circumferentially spacedupwardly extending retaining posts on said support outwardly of saidtable, and means to rotate said shaft, one of said posts being providedwith means to engage and secure an end of a coiled length ofstrip.

8. Apparatus according toclaim 7 further including an upwardly`extending means on said table to engage and secure the inner end of acoiled length of strip.l

9. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination Aatable having a horizontally disposed supporting surface adapted tosupport at least a portion of a side edge of a coil of metal strip andthe like, means mounting said table for rotation about a vertical axis,a normally fixed supporting member having asupporting surface disposedcircumferentially outside of said table and aligned substantiallyhorizontally with said supporting surface of said table, means to rotatesaid table, and an annular series of posts fixed with respect to saidsupporting member to engage the outer convolution of said coil.

said retaining means and adapted to support and rotate the coil, meansto rotate said table, a plurality of upwardly extending posts carried bysaid table, at least one of said posts provided with means to engage andsecure the inner end of a coiled length of metal strip and means tochange the distance between the axis of rotation of said 5 table andsaid posts.

HOMER D. PAXSON.

